Most people identify Waste Management by its green trucks and bins, and think of the business as a garbage company. But today's Waste Management is much more than that.
Waste Management is an environmental services company providing the route to resource sustainability for families, businesses and municipalities.
“We work to help our customers thrive and prosper through business practices reflecting social responsibility and environmental excellence,” said Ken Ryan, district manager of Waste Management. “Our company has a goal, to help ensure that we pass on the planet to the next generation in better shape than we inherited it. This is a lofty goal, and we can't do it alone, but we hope to set an example for others to follow.”
Waste Management is the No. 1 recycler in North America. Last year, the company recycled enough paper to save more than 41 million trees.
In San Diego County, Waste Management provides curbside recycling programs and operates four recycling centers, including one in Carlsbad. The Carlsbad Business Journal sat down with Ryan to talk more about the company's efforts to keep North County clean.
CBJ: What is Waste Management's mission?
Ryan: To be the leading provider of comprehensive waste management and environmental services in North America. Our social responsibility statement is: We make it our business to think green every day.
CBJ: What green practices do you incorporate into your home and office?
Ryan: At home, our family is committed to recycling everything we possibly can. We are also always on the lookout for ways to reduce our water and energy usage. At work, I have asked my team to work together to incorporate as many green practices into our business as possible. In addition to recycling, we have found ways to reduce the amount of materials, like paper, that we use. We have a double-sided copying policy, and try to use e-mail to send documents instead of printing them. We have eliminated the use of paper cups at our sites. We removed paper towels from our sites and instead use energy efficient air dryers and washable towels. We also instituted a green purchasing policy.
CBJ: What eco-friendly services does your company provide for its clients?
Ryan: Our Think Green From Home program allows residents to collect used CFLs and batteries over time and then use the pre-paid postage that is included to return the items to our processing sites, where mercury and glass is recycled. Through our WM Lamptracker program, businesses can collect large quantities of fluorescent tubes and batteries and send them to our processing sites. The program provides all of the certificates necessary to document compliance with state disposal laws. WM Green Squad, our team of LEED accredited eco-consultants, is available to help businesses reduce waste, increase recycling and reduce energy and water usage.
CBJ: Why are the services your company provides needed?
Ryan: The population of the United States generated more than 250 million tons of garbage in 2007. In the most recently reported year, business and industry also generated 38 million tons of hazardous waste. At Waste Management, our job is to manage our customers' wastes by advising on waste reduction and recycling, extracting energy from otherwise wasted materials and safely disposing of what remains.
CBJ: What is unique about Waste Management?
Ryan: We are providing leadership to make recycling a working, sustainable solution for residential, commercial, municipal and industrial customers across the U.S. Our achievement in driving more sustainable waste services is well recognized. For the last four years, Waste Management has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, a selection of companies judged on their global leadership in sustainability and economic performance.
CBJ: What do you see for the future of Waste Management?
Ryan: Nationwide, we have pledged to achieve a number of sustainability goals by 2020. Today, we create enough energy to power 1 million homes each year. By 2020, we expect to double that output. We currently manage 8 million tons of recyclables. By 2020, we plan to manage more than 20 million tons. We will direct capital spending of up to $500 million per annum over a 10-year period to increase the fuel efficiency of our fleet by 15 percent and reduce fleet emissions by 15 percent. We also expect to invest in technologies to enhance the sustainability of our basic waste services. Preserving and restoring wildlife habitat across North America is important to us. By 2020, we plan to increase by more than four times the number of our facilities, from 24 to 100, certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council. We also plan to increase the number of acres we have set aside for conservation and wildlife habitat to approximately 25,000.
Waste Management:
5960 El Camino Real, Carlsbad
1-866-WM-RECYCLE
www.northcounty.wm.com
Waste Management is an environmental services company providing the route to resource sustainability for families, businesses and municipalities.
“We work to help our customers thrive and prosper through business practices reflecting social responsibility and environmental excellence,” said Ken Ryan, district manager of Waste Management. “Our company has a goal, to help ensure that we pass on the planet to the next generation in better shape than we inherited it. This is a lofty goal, and we can't do it alone, but we hope to set an example for others to follow.”
Waste Management is the No. 1 recycler in North America. Last year, the company recycled enough paper to save more than 41 million trees.
In San Diego County, Waste Management provides curbside recycling programs and operates four recycling centers, including one in Carlsbad. The Carlsbad Business Journal sat down with Ryan to talk more about the company's efforts to keep North County clean.
CBJ: What is Waste Management's mission?
Ryan: To be the leading provider of comprehensive waste management and environmental services in North America. Our social responsibility statement is: We make it our business to think green every day.
CBJ: What green practices do you incorporate into your home and office?
Ryan: At home, our family is committed to recycling everything we possibly can. We are also always on the lookout for ways to reduce our water and energy usage. At work, I have asked my team to work together to incorporate as many green practices into our business as possible. In addition to recycling, we have found ways to reduce the amount of materials, like paper, that we use. We have a double-sided copying policy, and try to use e-mail to send documents instead of printing them. We have eliminated the use of paper cups at our sites. We removed paper towels from our sites and instead use energy efficient air dryers and washable towels. We also instituted a green purchasing policy.
CBJ: What eco-friendly services does your company provide for its clients?
Ryan: Our Think Green From Home program allows residents to collect used CFLs and batteries over time and then use the pre-paid postage that is included to return the items to our processing sites, where mercury and glass is recycled. Through our WM Lamptracker program, businesses can collect large quantities of fluorescent tubes and batteries and send them to our processing sites. The program provides all of the certificates necessary to document compliance with state disposal laws. WM Green Squad, our team of LEED accredited eco-consultants, is available to help businesses reduce waste, increase recycling and reduce energy and water usage.
CBJ: Why are the services your company provides needed?
Ryan: The population of the United States generated more than 250 million tons of garbage in 2007. In the most recently reported year, business and industry also generated 38 million tons of hazardous waste. At Waste Management, our job is to manage our customers' wastes by advising on waste reduction and recycling, extracting energy from otherwise wasted materials and safely disposing of what remains.
CBJ: What is unique about Waste Management?
Ryan: We are providing leadership to make recycling a working, sustainable solution for residential, commercial, municipal and industrial customers across the U.S. Our achievement in driving more sustainable waste services is well recognized. For the last four years, Waste Management has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, a selection of companies judged on their global leadership in sustainability and economic performance.
CBJ: What do you see for the future of Waste Management?
Ryan: Nationwide, we have pledged to achieve a number of sustainability goals by 2020. Today, we create enough energy to power 1 million homes each year. By 2020, we expect to double that output. We currently manage 8 million tons of recyclables. By 2020, we plan to manage more than 20 million tons. We will direct capital spending of up to $500 million per annum over a 10-year period to increase the fuel efficiency of our fleet by 15 percent and reduce fleet emissions by 15 percent. We also expect to invest in technologies to enhance the sustainability of our basic waste services. Preserving and restoring wildlife habitat across North America is important to us. By 2020, we plan to increase by more than four times the number of our facilities, from 24 to 100, certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council. We also plan to increase the number of acres we have set aside for conservation and wildlife habitat to approximately 25,000.
Waste Management:
5960 El Camino Real, Carlsbad
1-866-WM-RECYCLE
www.northcounty.wm.com